Inside wheel rim cleaner

ABSTRACT

A device for cleaning the inside of a car wheel rim which comprises a hollow j-shaped tube, having a long arm and a short arm, a source of cleaner affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped tube for providing cleaner into the tube, and a scrubbing member affixed to the short arm of the j-shaped tube for reaching behind and cleaning the inside of a tire wheel.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit to provisional application 60/587,025, filed on Jul. 9, 2004, entitled “Inside Wheel Rim Cleaner”, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a device that cleans the inside of the rim of wheels. In particular, the present invention uses a trigger unit to activate water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cleaning the inside of vehicle wheels is often difficult and time consuming. Nonetheless, cleaning these components is important because dirt from inside wheels tends to work its way outward through holes and slots and soils the outside of the wheel.

There are many patents directed toward wheel cleaning devices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,068 discloses a cleaning implement including a cylindrical member having brush bristles on its exterior and interior surfaces and bristles on the front and rear edge surface of the cylinder. A handle element is reversibly connected to a threaded bore in a centrally located disc fixed to the interior of the cylinder. The interior bristles are used to clean lug nuts on a rally wheel and the bristles extending from the front and rear edge surfaces are used to clean the edges of the openings through which the lugs extend. The exterior bristles can be used to clean larger openings in the rally wheel, all without removing the rally wheel from a motor vehicle.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,303, to McLeod discloses a cleaning device for delivering a fluid under pressure onto a surface that includes a head movable on the surface for spraying the fluid and an extendable handle for controlling placement of the head. The extendable handle has a pair of sets of members arranged in telescoping relation for movement between at-rest and extended positions. One of the members is defined by a pair of sets of articulated parts with one of the articulated parts extending exteriorly of the other of the members when the member sets are in the extended position thereof. A set of resiliently urged detents releasably retain the member sets against displacement from the at-rest position thereof, and a set of pawls are operable in response to pivotal movement of the one articulated part for interlocking the other of the articulated parts and the other of the member when the member sets are in their extended positions thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,364 discloses a device for cleaning underlying surfaces, especially irregular surfaces, such as shake roofs, grooved pavements or ramps, and the like. Mobile apparatus under the guidance of an operator brushes the underlying surface and sprays water or other cleaning liquid onto it in a rotating pattern as the operator traverses the apparatus and, thus, the cleaning locus relative to the supporting surface. A “compass point” wheel arrangement enables the apparatus to be positioned with one wheel off the edge of the supporting surface to clean over the edge while maintaining three-point stability, whereas temporary removal of a wheel enables close approach to clean an intersection of the underlying supporting surface and an adjoining wall or other adjacent upright surface.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,136 discloses an apparatus and method that is utilized in a drive-through vehicle washing system of the type in which a vehicle is moved by conveyor along a longitudinal path across a floor surface, past a series of washing stations. The apparatus attaches to a parallelogram linkage such as that of a tire washing station and includes a manifold for spraying pressurized liquid at the vehicle wheels from an outlet nozzle. The manifold is carried by a drive mechanism which translates the manifold longitudinally to follow the vehicle wheel passing thereby for a distance sufficient for the stream of liquid to clean the entire wheel circumference. A flow control valve for regulating the flow of liquid is provided along with a sensor for detecting wheel position. A control mechanism regulates the movement of the manifold and the flow of pressurized liquid causing the manifold to move at a speed substantially equal to that of the vehicle. The method of operation in a specific linear actuator for translating the manifold is also disclosed.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,480 discloses a wire wheel cover brush, for cleaning automobile wire and style type wheel covers having a brush handle portion, tapering head portion and bristle portion. The brush bristle portion has a plurality of individual U-shaped or hairpin bent brush bristles gathered together in a plurality of tufts. The tufts are embedded in holes drilled or otherwise formed in the brush head portion and secured by fastening means. The tufts are arranged in three distinct groupings each in a circular pattern. The groupings are positioned in a triangular arrangement separated by a predetermined space to allow passage of the wire wheel cover spokes between the groupings, allowing the groupings to make maximum and direct contact with the back-up plate, simultaneously cleaning the back-up plate and wire spokes. An alternative embodiment is disclosed in which the brush bristles are of two different lengths.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,128 discloses a cleaning tool that includes a fleece covering and support structures which both supported by a handle. The fleece material is sewn into a hollow cylinder and then turned inside out. A foam structure surrounds the upper end of the handle as it extends into the hollow fleece cylinder. A foam plug lies within the foam structure and cushions the upper end of the handle against the inside of the fleece material. Near the point of entry of the handle into the foam structure, the fleece material is attached to the handle to hold the cleaning tool together. Various shapes of cleaning tool can be formed with the overall outer shape of the fleece dependent upon both the cutting and sewing of the fleece material, as well as the shape of the supporting foam material.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,686 discloses a vehicle lug nut cleaning device including an elongated generally cylindrical sponge having an opening extending longitudinally of the generally cylindrical sponge for receiving a head of a lug nut therein. The elongated generally cylindrical sponge has a sufficient length to allow an end of the generally cylindrical sponge to be trimmed for reuse.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,952 discloses a system for cleaning the wheels of railcars as the railcars move along the rails of a railroad track comprises chairs supporting a track rail holding a frame. A movable brush plate is movably mounted on the frame and carries a brush mechanism mounted for moving with the brush plate toward and away from the rail to clean railcar wheels moving along the rail. A linkage system is operably coupled between said brush plate and said frame for moving the plate and brush mechanism. The linkage system includes two actuator arms pivotally mounted to move in opposite directions to direct the brush plate toward the rail when an actuating mechanism is operated. The brushes of the brush mechanism are coupled together by a solid coupling sleeve for easy and inexpensive maintenance. A motor is coupled to the brushes through a coupler which is uniquely shaped to reduce damage during use.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,619 discloses an apparatus for the cleaning of old grease and accumulated impurities from wheel bearings as well as the repacking of such bearings with clean grease is accomplished by mounting bearings to be cleaned in a special manner in conjunction with an appropriate brush and in such manner as to be rotatable by rotating the rotor and further in conjunction with fluid flowing through and about such wheel bearings until the old grease and impurities are removed and the subsequent repacking of the wheel bearings with fresh grease by a pressure packing device.

U.S. Patent Application No. 20030200616 discloses a water flow-driven rotary and vibrational cleaning brush including a base seat, a water wheel, a brush seat and a transmission unit. The base seat is a receptacle having an opening facing downward. An outer and an inner face of the base seat are respectively formed with a fluid inlet and a nozzle. The water wheel is disposed in the base seat and rotatable about a shaft rod. The water wheel is impacted and rotated by the fluid injected by the nozzle. The brush seat is positioned under the base seat. A brush section is disposed under the brush seat. The transmission unit is disposed between the brush seat and the water wheel and includes a transmissions section connected with the brush seat for transmitting the rotational power of the water wheel to drive the brush seat. The rotational axis of the transmission section is other than the central axis of the brush seat, whereby the central axis revolves about the rotational axis and the brush seat is driven to rotate and vibrate so as to achieve enhanced cleaning effect.

While there have been a number of wheel cleaning systems, none have been directed to a system which can easily reach around and clean the inside of a wheel where dirt and grime lodge.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system whereby the inside of a wheel rim can be cleaned.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system whereby a tool is especially designed to clean behind a tire rim.

It is yet a further object to provide a tire cleaning apparatus with a cleaning bottle.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a system such as can be affixed to a cleaner bottle or a hose.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a device for cleaning the inside of a car wheel rim, a hollow j-shaped tube, having a long arm and a short arm, a source of cleaner affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped tube for providing cleaner into the tube, a scrubbing member affixed to the short arm of the j-shaped tube for reaching behind and cleaning the inside of a tire wheel rim, which further comprises a water hose affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped member.

In yet a further embodiment, a device for cleaning the inside of a car wheel, a hollow j-shaped plastic tube, having a long arm and a short arm, a source of cleaner affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped tube for providing cleaner into the tube, a scrubbing member affixed to the short arm of the j-shaped tube for reaching behind and scrubbing the inside of a tire wheel, and a pressure spout affixed to the end of the short arm for applying pressurized water, and a water hose affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the wheel cleaning system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the wheel cleaning system of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are further embodiments of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a device for cleaning the inside of a wheel rim of a vehicle such as a car, truck, or R.V. In a most preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a cleaning unit having a j-shaped tube 12 and a handle 14. The tube at a first end 14 is attached to a source of cleaning agent 16. The tube may further be attached to a water hose 18. The short end 20 of the j-shaped member is attached to a sponge or brush 22.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the device can be affixed to hose 18 for greater water pressure. The j-shaped member can be constructed from a wide variety of materials including plastic and metals. In one embodiment, the short end 20 of j-shaped member is a cylindrical sponge 24. The short end 20 of the j-shaped tube member may be perforated to permit water to flow therethrough and onto the sponge 22. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the system can include a pressure spout 26.

In operation, the cleaning mechanism of the present invention operates by affixing a cleaner or hose to the device. The water and cleaner moves through tubing and then exits out the terminal end. The cylindrical sponge can then be made to scrub the inside of the rim of the wheel.

The present invention has been described with reference to the above-discussed preferred embodiment. The true nature and scope of the invention is to be determined with reference to the attached claims. 

1. A device for cleaning the inside of a car wheel rim, the device comprising: a hollow j-shaped tube, having a long arm and a short arm; a source of cleaner affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped tube for providing cleaner into the tube; a scrubbing member affixed to the short arm of the j-shaped tube for reaching behind and cleaning the inside of a tire wheel rim.
 2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a water hose affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped member.
 3. A device for cleaning the inside of a car wheel rim, the device comprising; a hollow j-shaped plastic tube, having a long arm and a short arm; a source of cleaner affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped tube for providing cleaner into the tube; a scrubbing member affixed to the short arm of the j-shaped tube for reaching behind and scrubbing the inside of a tire wheel rim; and a pressure spout affixed to the end of the short arm for applying pressurized water; and a water hose affixed to the long arm of the j-shaped member. 